In anticipation of the Thirteenth Session of the UN World Urban Forum (WUF13), which will be held in Baku from May 17–22, the WUF13 Festival was organized in various cities across Azerbaijan to inform the public about this prestigious international event.
According to information provided to “Elchi” by the Operating Company, the festival was held in the cities of Guba, Lankaran, Gabala, Shaki, Mingachevir, Ganja, Khankendi, and Sumgait, and concluded with a final event in Baku. The WUF13 city festivals brought together more than 115,000 people across 9 cities in total.
The festival program consisted of two main parts. In the first half of the day, awareness sessions on the theme of WUF13 were organized at higher education institutions in the host cities. During these sessions, participants were provided with detailed information about the forum’s goals, principles of sustainable urban planning, and Azerbaijan’s priorities in the field of urbanization.
In the second half of the day, public programs were held outdoors. The evening programs included interactive activities, educational games, presentations, and public discussions. Topical issues such as sustainable urban development, inclusive urban environments, innovative urban solutions, and cities of the future were presented to a wide audience at these events.
Festival participants also had the opportunity to become closely acquainted with the core ideas and international significance of WUF13. The events, which covered various age groups, were met with great interest by the participants and provided city residents with a new perspective on the living spaces of the future.
It was noted that the WUF13 city festivals, in addition to ensuring broad public participation across the country, have made a significant contribution to strengthening awareness regarding the formation of sustainable and inclusive cities.